NEWS AND INFORMATION

A new article entitled, “The Morale and Motivation Myth…No Strings Attached!” discusses the correlation between employee engagement, or happiness, and productivity. Impact Achievement Group, a training and performance management consulting company, is behind this new study that surveyed human resource professionals on the topic.

Results show that 85 percent of those surveyed feel that as employee morale, or happiness, increases, so does productivity. This notion has been popular for over 40 years and has been the reason behind management training and employee motivation tactics. The results show, though, that this is not necessarily true and this is why many employee recognition programs are not successful.

Recognizing and rewarding employees do not fully engage and keep employees. A recent survey by Gallup revealed that only 29 percent of employees are actually engaged, or happy, which leaves a high percentage that are not. In the survey, key areas such as opportunities for development, expectations, and adequate employee acknowledgment were measured, confirming Impact Achievement Group’s findings that there is little correlation between employee engagement and productivity.

Lee Klepinger, president of Impact Achievement Group, states, “Rather than relying on poor performing external motivation programs, the focus should be on the development of managers’ performance leadership skills—the key variable for creating productivity and high morale in the workplace. Make employee happiness the end in itself—without any strings attached.”

Impact Achievement Group notes three key factors that do lead to more productivity, including excellent coaching skills, dedication to growth, and performance accountability.